


An Alter-nate Perspective

by Felicity Black (ElderDragonGaming)



Category: Original Work
Genre: Abuse, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Attempted Suicide, Broken Plot, Crying, Dissociative Identity Disorder, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Heavy Angst, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Other, Past Abuse, Physical Abuse, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Self-Harm, Therapy, Triggers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-03
Updated: 2020-04-03
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:41:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23456458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElderDragonGaming/pseuds/Felicity%20Black
Summary: This story begins with a small child in a not-so-nice place. Things will happen, ideas will change. Everything that occurs from that point on shapes that child’s mind. And the other minds it shares a brain with. School, family, relationships. It’s all so very hard, when you aren’t just one person.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 1





	1. The Beginning of a Long, Hard Road — pt. 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not-long-enough ago, in a place all-too-much-painfully close, a young child fears for her life, caught in a power struggle between two equally drugged-up and abusive parents. It took her years to be able to crawl out of the hole she was in and move away, but even now they left their lasting mark on her...

I lay there in my bed, a strange ringing in my ears. At only 6 years old I couldn’t understand why my parents were so angry all the time. I could still hear the sound of my parents fighting. I could still feel their disapproving eyes burning into my skin as they watch me try to everything they make me do. I could still sense the on-coming whip-crack of a belt aimed at my back. I lay there crying, unsure of what to do now. I couldn’t get out, and I couldn’t stay there. That night I didn’t get sleep, but rather lay there, trying to find a way out, because I knew that I would die if I stayed there any longer. Then all of a sudden something changed. A click, deep within my mind. A break of something crucial, as my final senses started failing me in this brutally real situation. I was so scared in that moment, thinking that I would die, that I didn’t notice the careful hand resting on my shoulder. But there wasn’t anyone in my room. Somewhere, deep within my mind, another person sat there, watching me, pitying me. But she was only the first of many.

—————

It had been three years since I’d moved out of the god-forsaken house where my parents lived, and I was now 21, but no matter how hard I tried to forget the place, it held so many bad memories that I would never go back there. EVER. I sat in the shining sun outside a cafe, waiting for my friends to come back out with the coffee and cake we had ordered. They obviously didn’t trust that I was out here on my own, because they kept glancing back out the window to check on me. I guess it was a good thing though, because I needed people like that to look out for me, especially with all the ‘issues’ I’d been experiencing lately. I saw my friends coming back, holding all of our stuff, so I relaxed a little, trying not to look so tense.

They all sat down at the little round table. This was the first time we had been able to catch up with each other in several weeks, so we obviously had much to talk about.  
“So, how is everyone?” I asked, trying to start the conversation.  
“I’ve been amazing. Just finished and submitted my semester two assignment for my Engineering Degree. I’m done a week early, so now I have a bunch of time to do whatever I want!” The woman to my left said, looking proud of herself. She had long wavy brown hair and a medium build, with a lightly tanned skin.  
“That’s great Bella. I hope you do well with your final next semester too. Well, no need to hope. You’re about the most brilliant person here or in your course.” The guy on my right said. He had very short blonde hair and pale skin, but was built like a brick-wall.  
“Oh, thanks Josh.” Bella said in reply.  
“So, Felicity, how’s your Art Degree going?” The guy sitting directly across from me asked. He was Asian, and with a very gay air about him.  
I jumped at the question, as I hadn’t been paying much attention, but rather staring off into space. It took me a few seconds to get my train of thought going. “Oh, um, it’s been doing really well Alex, thanks for asking. I’m still halfway through my assignment piece though; I’m hoping it’s going to look good enough to pass...”  
“Of course it will. You’re an extremely talented artist.” Bella said, smiling at me. “And by the way, I really like your new haircut. It suits you girl...”  
Of course she was talking about my black bangs that hung a little above my shoulders. I was proud of them. One of the only things about myself I was proud of...  
“...hey, earth to ‘City, you there?” Bella’s soft voice rung out, with her waving her hand in front of my face. _Dammit, must have blanked out again._   
“S-sorry, I must have blanked. What were you saying?” I asked, feeling very sheepish about not being able to keep up with what they were saying.  
“Well, I was asking you how have you been going with you mental health?” She asked, and I sighed. This is the point in the conversation that I was fearing, but I knew that it would be only a matter of time before the question came to light.  
“Well, you know, it’s been ok...” I said, starting to introvert, shrinking my shoulders in towards my chest and trying to hide my face beneath the hoodie I was wearing.  
“No, you aren’t going to hide like this. Last time I was able to catch up with you, you were a mess. I don’t want to have to see you in an ICU again any time soon. So, please, tell me you’ve been getting therapy.”  
I know felt extremely guilty, and all I wanted to do was go home and punch something. “W-well, I have been to a few every now and then.”  
“Well, that’s just not good enough. You know what, after this little group meeting is over I’m going to take you over to a therapist I know, and I’m going to make sure that you stay healthy.” She said, a stern but calm tone in her voice. She always had been almost a motherly figure towards me. I guess I needed it though...  
“O-ok, I’ll go with you.” I said, leaning back in my chair and taking a small nibble on my slice of cheesecake.

—————

“See you guys later.” Bella said, ecstatically waving at the boys as they walked off in the other direction. She then reached up and pulled down my hoodie, exposing my face to the street. “Now missie, you’re coming with me.”  
And with that she hooked her arm around mine and started walking briskly down the street, dragging me in tow as I struggled to keep up. As we walked, I started noticing —again— all the strong smells and sights of the streets that blared out at me. As I passed through the myriad of strange scents, one hit my nose that caused my entire body to seize up so rapidly that I almost pulled Bella over backwards. The strong, distinct smell of tobacco smoke filled my lungs, and all of a sudden I was ripped back out of the street, back to my parents house, watching as my father downed a bottle of grog with one hand and smoked with the other, before turning around to wrap his thick leather belt around my throat, laughing as I struggled for breath. I couldn’t move, only watch as someone I tried to escape came screaming back into my mind, filling my vision and hurting me like he used to. Then I felt a strange sensation on my back. I soft hand was rubbing my back, whispering soothing words in my ear, slowly bringing me out of the hell that I was just dragged into. When my vision came back to normal, I could see the street again. This time however, I was sitting on the ground with Bella hugging me and telling me that I was safe and it was all okay.  
“W-what happened. I was here and then I was back there and my father ... he, he, he...” And before I could finish my sentence I was reduced back to tears, unable to stop myself as I cried into Bella’s shoulder, trying to be calm again.  
“It’s ok, you’re safe. I made sure that you were safe.”  
We sat there for another few minutes until I felt calm enough to stand up. When I stood up, I felt slightly dizzy, but soon enough we were walking again and my breath was coming back. Within another five minutes we reached my apartment block.  
“W-wait, I thought you were going to take me over to therapy.” I asked, bewildered as to what I was doing outside my own front door.  
”Well, I figured you might have had enough of a stressful morning, so I brought you back here, and I’m going to come upstairs with you.”  
And with that, we walked in the front door and up three flights of stairs to get to my floor. We stepped into the hallway and strode to about halfway down the hallway, we turned and I unlocked the door to my apartment. Inside was a strange abode consisting of mellow, pastel coloured walls and all sorts of art pieces hanging all around the walls, with one sitting on an easel, half-painted. A shelf full of sculptures stood in the corner, and a large desktop setup sat in the corner.  
”Well, this is a rather nice place. Is that the art piece you were talking about earlier?” Bella asked, pointing at the canvas hanging on the easel.  
”Yes, but it isn’t finished yet. So, what do you wanna do?” I asked, wondering what to talk about.  
”Well, actually, I’ve got a question for you first.” Bella said, starting to look slightly embarrassed. This made very curious about what she was going to ask. “I was recently evicted from my apartment because owner was sick and tired of the kids downstairs smoking pot, so he shut down renting and kicked us all out. So ... I was wondering if you have space for a roommate?”  
I blinked a few times at her, surprised.  
”And hey, it means I can try to take care of you a bit more. I can make sure you’re safe. And I will be helping you pay rent. So, what do you say?”  
I blinked at her again. “Well, ok. I just need to make room for you.” I then walked over to a spare room that I wasn’t using and opened it up, looking inside. It was completely bare, but it would do for the moment. “Is here ok?” I asked her.  
She strode up next to me and looked inside and smiled. “It’s perfect. So, when can I move in?”  
”As soon as you are able to get a bed in here.” I said, grinning at her.  
”This is great ‘City. Oh, um, I hope you don’t mind if I bring home a _friend_ or two every now and then do you?” She asked, putting a heavy and insinuative emphasis on _friend_ , which meant she would be bringing home someone she had recently fallen in love with. Probably a lot of one-night-stands.  
”As long you aren’t too loud and don’t leave a mess outside your room, it should be fine.” I said, rolling my eyes at her as I walked over to the couch and sat down.  
”Oh my god, you’re a lifesaver Felicity.” She smiled, running over and jumping onto the couch next to me.  
At that I decided it would be a good moment for a little bit of fun, and I grabbed a pillow and swung it at her, hitting her lightly. She turned to me with and indignant look, but after a split-second she realised that I was challenging her to a pillow-fight duel. She picked up a pillow as well, and swung it back at me. We duelled for atleast an hour before we got tired and decided to order dinner. By this point it was starting to get dark and we were already in our pyjamas, sitting on the couch watching movies while waiting for our pizza. After it arrived and we got through the 13th cheesy movie that night, we decided to head to bed. I walked into my bedroom, while Bella curled up on the couch. I had an ill feeling in my stomach that night, but tried to ignore it while I drifted off to sleep.


	2. The Beginning of a Long, Hard Road — pt. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When things take a turn for the worst and she wakes up in a terrible situation, what will Felicity do?
> 
> There will be many arguments, and she will have many questions to which she need answers.

A searing pain filled my body, with every nerve ending feeling like it was on fire. I was still asleep, but a pounding headache nagged at my mind, trying to draw me to the surface. I was floating in a black void, waiting to wake up. And all-of-a-sudden I was awake, with a pain covering my arms. I looked around. I was standing in my bathroom, unsure of how I got there, looking at my own tear-streaked face in the mirror. I now looked down to see massive rivers of blood running from cuts on one of my arms, and large kitchen knife in the other. I screamed out loud and dropped the knife with a loud clatter on the tile floor. Within seconds Bella ran in and saw me, and she too screamed. “WHY?!” She yelled at me, anger and fear in her voice. “I-i-i d-don’t know, I just woke up standing here. I didn’t do this. I-i also don’t geel too g-good.” I said, swaying where I stood. Realising the magnitude of the situation, the Bella and tried to stop the bleeding in my arm while I called an ambulance with my uninjured arm. Soon enough Bella was sitting next to me in the ambulance, and we were heading for hospital, my injured arm wrapped tightly in a bandage.  
  
—————  
  
“So, how you feeling?” Josh asked me. He and Alex came up to the hospital a little after I got there.  
“I feel absolutely terrible, seeing as I just tried to kill myself without being awake or aware of what I was doing...” I said, looking really ashamed.  
“Hey, it’s ok. We’ll help you figure this out.” Alex said, looking at me with a confused and pitying look in his eyes.  
“I-i-i j-just can’t f-figure out why it happened.” I said, feeling like crying again. I was just so confused as to why I had no memory or control when it happened. Josh reached out and shook my shoulder. I smiled at him weakly. A nurse came and knocked on the door.  
“I’m sorry, but visiting is over. It’s getting really late and I think you guys should head home. The psychiatrist should be here soon to speak with you.” The nurse said, looking at each of us.  
Each of them said their goodbyes and walked out, leaving me lying there on my own. I thought hard, looking around the empty room, wondering. It had been so long since I’d been in this situation, and I felt terrible that I dragged myself back into the cycle I had only recently gotten back out of. I started crying again, because I just couldn’t control the emotions running through my mind. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to ground myself.  
 _Hey Felicity, it’s alright. You’re safe._  
I opened my eyes rapidly and looked around. I could have sworn I heard someone talk, but there was no one in the room. _Great, I’m hearing voices now._ I told myself. I was starting to feel like I belong in an asylum.  
  
—————  
  
After seeing the psychiatrist and being discharged in the morning, I started walking home. The light rain was making a rhythmic beat against the raincoat I was wearing. By the time I made it home it was bucketing down, but I headed inside and hung up my coat. I then went and sat on the couch, hoping to get a bit more sleep than I did last night. There was a noise in the background, but I didn’t pay it any attention, assuming that Bella was doing something. Or someone. After lying there for what felt like hours I got up again. I walked over to the painting on the easel and pulled up a chair. I then grabbed my pallet and brush and started to paint. A face began to appear out of the blur of colours. A beautiful face with the brightest blue eyes and a light skin tone, and a pretty complexion filled her cheeks while gingery-blonde hair flowed over her shoulders. I had no idea who she was, but somehow I knew her from somewhere. While I sat there painting, Bella and her accompaniment emerged from her bedroom. The young woman who was with her seemed to be in her mid-twenties and with a strange gait to her step that meant that Bella had obviously been having some fun. I rolled my eyes at them as Bella kissed her goodbye and woman left.  
“So, who was that?” I asked Bella teasingly.  
“Oh, just another of my little experiments...” She replied, trailing off, giggling. “So who’s this?” She asked, pointing at my painting.  
“Haven’t the slightest clue. The image just came to mind and I painted her, but I think she’s pretty.” I said, looking at the painting with an inexplicable expression.  
“So, how’s the arm going?” Bella asked, looking at me with concern now.  
“Oh, It’s fine you know, nothing too major. The doctor said that it should heal over soon.” I said, waiting for the next thing that I knew she would say.  
“Well, as much as it’s _fine_ , I will be taking you to therapy later, because you really need it.” She said, a look of determination now filling her face.  
I nodded limply, knowing that there was no use arguing. I knew that she would be taking me, and she would make sure I went no matter what. I guess it was a good thing though...


End file.
